News from the Beaver Island Wildlife Club

The Wildlife Club held its second regular monthly meeting on February 13, 2003. We meet at the St. James Fire Hall on the second Thursday of every month.

Our committees are working hard to accomplish some goals for 2003. Guidelines will be submitted by March for habitat planting and our successful hunter contest.

The walleye rearing pond project will be resumed as soon as possible in the spring, with completion expected in time to receive walleye fry by early to mid May, depending on the weather. A CMU graduate student will be assigned to oversee the operation. If all goes as planned the walleye fingerlings will be transferred to Lake Geneserath by late June. A 30" walleye was caught through the ice this winter on Lake Geneserath, so get your fishing gear in order cause we're going to have a viable fishery there sooner than you think!

We would like to improve our membership numbers. We are striving to make membership more attractive, with more interesting meetings, better communication, updating membership material, and even a brochure.

Our wild turkey census is very poor. The count was done during the last two weeks of January and totals only 171 birds. This report was given to the DNR, who will no doubt recommend that we do not have a fall hunt. The numbers are down for the entire county due to poor nesting last spring because of the cold, wet weather. We continue to feed the flocks we have, which is critical because of the deep snow.